Behind Apple's 'hissy fit'

In response to the Perspectives column written by Charles Cooper, "Apple and the legacy of Napster":

I think that the point you and many other journalists are missing when you report that Apple is having a "hissy fit" over this Harmony software is that RealNetworks plans to license it.

RealNetworks may pose little competition, but if the company were to license Harmony to other competitors, and then Apple breaks the software by adding new advances or altering their digital rights management to allow other devices, it would be customers who are hurt.

If I buy a file from RealNetworks, and then Apple updates its software, and my purchase is now useless for my iPod, I'm going to be upset. Upset at both companies. If I'm Apple, I don't want consumers upset at me because RealNetworks provided a temporary solution. RealNetworks should have made a better attempt to license FairPlay rather than make threats to Apple about aligning with Microsoft.

Jason Leonard
Montreal

 

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